This landmark book, now back in print, explores the historical experiences of slaves, masters, and colonials as they all confronted the end of slavery in fifteen sub-Saharan African societies. The essays demonstrate that it is impossible to generalize about whether the end of slavery was a relatively mild and nondisruptive process or whether it marked a significant change in the organization of these societies. This wide-ranging inquiry is of lasting value to Africanists and a variety of social and economic historians.